THE SUBMARINE ISLAND.
Under Mr. Barr's guidance the party toured the island. It was about half
a mile across and slightly longer than its width. Coarse grass grew
almost to the water's edge, and in the centre, where it rose in a
cone-shaped formation, some stunted, wind-twisted bushes grew. Also on
the summit was a driven well, which was formed of galvanized piping, and
went down, so the boys were informed, for more than two hundred feet.
But to the lads of the Eagle Patrol the most interesting thing on the
island was, of course, the shed that housed the submarine. This shed was
open at both ends, and under its iron roof lay the submarine craft.
Lying as it did, with only its rounded back showing above the surface of
the water, it reminded the boys of a sleeping whale.
On the top of it, amidships, was the conning tower, with thick glass
lenses for observation. From the conning tower also protruded the
periscope, an instrument which enabled the operators of the craft to see
the ocean about them even when submerged some twenty feet below the
surface.
A stout rail ran around the top of the hull so as to allow the crew to
walk along the slippery decks without danger of going overboard. But it
was the interior that the boys were most anxious to see, and a glad rush
followed when Mr. Barr invited them on board. Access to the conning
tower was gained by a gang plank running from the side of the shed.
Reaching the conning tower, with a press of eager lads about him, Mr.
Barr threw open a metal door in the top of the observation post, and
climbed inside. The boys needed no invitation to follow him.
Inside they found themselves in a compartment much resembling the
wheelhouse of an ordinary surface craft, except that there were various
instruments to show submergence, and the quality and pressure of the
air, and devices for handling the engines; for one of the features of
Mr. Barr's invention was that it could be handled by one man once the
engines were going.
Leaving the conning tower, they descended a steel ladder into the heart
of the submarine. The centre was occupied by a comfortably fitted-up
room which contained, among other things, a small library and a
phonograph. The inventor switched on a button and the "cabin," as it may
be called, was instantaneously flooded with a soft light, bright but not
glaring. In the bulkheads at either end of this compartment were doors,
steel riveted and solid looking. The inventor explained that beyond the
stern one were located the engine room and crew's quarters, while on the
other side of the forward portal lay the sleeping quarters, galley or
kitchen, and bathroom. Beyond these again came the torpedo room, which
contained the machinery for launching the death-dealers. Each of these
was inspected in turn, the boys being delighted with the compactness and
neatness of everything.
"Now," said the inventor, "we will visit the engine room." Paul Perkins
and Hiram looked interested; machinery was one of their hobbies.
The _Peacemaker_ carried two sets of engines, electrical for running
under the surface, and gasoline for use above water. The engines were
fitted tandem-wise, and to their shafts were attached twin screws of a
novel design that gave great speed and controlled the submarine easily.
The gasoline engines were of fifteen hundred horse-power each, and the
electrical had a trifle lower capacity.
In the engine room, too, were the powerful pumps used for emptying or
filling the submarine's submergence tanks as it was desired to rise or
descend. Aft of the engine room came the gasoline tanks, the storage
batteries, and some minor machinery, such as an ice-making plant, air
compressor, and so on. In the engine room, too, was a comfortable
upholstered lounge for the engineer on duty to rest upon. Several dials
and gauges were on the walls of this compartment, enabling the engineer
to know at all times under just what conditions the submarine was
proceeding.
It was in the engines themselves that the inventor had excelled all
other types of submarines, as well as in the peculiar attributes of the
hull. Extra tanks were provided whereby, in the event of the main supply
of gasoline giving out at any time, the _Peacemaker_ could be run quite
a distance on those alone.
"How long could you stay below the surface?" asked Rob, as they came
back into the main cabin once more. There they took their seats on broad
leather divans which at night time could be converted into beds or bunks
by pulling a lever which caused them to turn over and reveal a snug
resting place.
"I have not yet made an exhaustive test of that," rejoined Mr. Barr,
"but I estimate that we could remain below, if necessary, forty-eight
hours."
"Forty-eight hours!" gasped Rob incredulously.
The inventor nodded calmly.
"My air purifying device makes this supposable. I have a plan by which
fresh, pure air is almost manufactured. At the same time the foul air is
forced out."
"I suppose you boys are aching to take a trip," laughed Ensign
Hargreaves.
"Aching is no word for it," Rob assured him.
"Well, you may have a chance to-morrow," said Mr. Barr; "I am going to
test out the whole craft thoroughly, and you boys can come along if I
go."
For the next five minutes nothing could be heard but enthusiastic
shouts. The boys fairly went wild with delight at the prospect of a trip
below the ocean's surface. Soon afterward the party emerged from the
submarine in time to see the _Seneca_ making out to sea on her return
journey. She carried letters from the boys to their families, as they
were by no means sure when they would get the next opportunity of
sending a letter north.
The next hour was occupied in making camp. Then the Stars and Stripes
and the Eagle banner went up. Donald had no Wolf banner with him, but
above his tent he hung up something that resembled a wolf's head,
painted on a bit of canvas.
"Looks more like a chicken than a wolf," scornfully sniffed Tubby when
he saw it.
"You couldn't think of anything but something good to eat, could you?"
was Donald's crushing reply.
By the time camp had been made and everything placed neatly in order,
Andy Bowles, on Ensign Hargreaves' order, sounded the dinner call.
"That's the call that Tubby never forgets," laughed Rob, as the stout
lad cantered off in the direction of the combination dining hall and
cook house above mentioned.
They found a bare, pine table, scrubbed scrupulously clean and set with
metal plates and cups. Lieutenant Hargreaves showed each boy to his
seat, while he and the inventor sat at opposite ends of the board. The
sailors, and the machinist who had impressed Rob so unfavorably, ate
later.
The cook, a stout, good-natured looking negro, came bustling in with a
huge bucket-like pan full of steaming soup. Tubby's eyes glistened as
he saw it, and soon he was piling in prodigious quantities of it. The
soup was followed by salt beef, potatoes, and other vegetables, and then
came a big wedge of cocoanut pie.
"We get fresh meat fairly often," explained Mr. Barr, "but the launch
has not been to the mainland recently, so we have to get along on what
sailors call 'Willie'."
"Isn't there game of any kind hereabouts?" asked Rob.
"Oh, yes. There are several shore birds of different varieties, but we
have really been too busy of late to go after them. Now that you boys
have come, however, you can take out my shot guns--I have three of
them--and see what you can do as hunters."
"Are the shore birds good eating?" inquired Tubby with his mouth full of
pie.
"Yes, Master Hopkins. Epicures, in fact, declare that there is no better
dish than roasted plovers."
"I'll take one of the guns," declared Tubby, his eyes glistening, as,
even his appetite satisfied for the while, he sank back in his chair.
As they filed out of the dining hall the negro cook announced to the
sailors and the mechanic, by means of a big bell, that it was time for
them to eat.
Rob, on his way to the camp, happened to pass by Luke Barton. He greeted
the latter with a cheery nod.
"Going to eat, Barton?" he inquired.
The man glowered at him a minute, and then muttering something about
"fresh kids eating up everything," he strode on toward the eating place.
"My gracious," exclaimed Tubby, who had witnessed the whole proceeding,
"you and that fellow get along like a pair of panthers, don't you?"